


embracing the chaos

by maraudertimes



Series: the chaos universe [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Bisexual/Biromantic, Community: FFT, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Romance, School, Sexual Content, Smut, Substance Abuse, questioning identity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:34:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25681381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maraudertimes/pseuds/maraudertimes
Summary: Because sometimes, you don't tell your friends everything...(Missing Moment collection for the chaos universe)
Relationships: Lily Luna Potter/Original Male Character(s), Molly Weasley II/Original Female Character(s), Teddy Lupin/Victoire Weasley, Victoire Weasley/Original Male Character(s)
Series: the chaos universe [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1757242
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	1. a football player in a minivan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you've ever wondered if getting hammered and eating an entire pint of blueberry ice cream on a children's playground after midnight is a good idea, please let me be the first to tell you that it is not.
> 
> (Missing Moment from literal chaos fire - September 25th, 2021)

If you've ever wondered if getting hammered and eating an entire pint of blueberry ice cream on a children's playground after midnight is a good idea, please let me be the first to tell you that it is not. You will be happy in the moment, but as soon as real life comes crashing down on you, the world will start to spin and your stomach will remember that too much of a good thing is terrible.

In this case, real life was a very concerned Rose who dragged us all into one William Flynn's minivan. And now, after dropping everyone else off, here I am in the passenger seat, fighting off the urge to vomit all over myself in front of the starting quarterback, who has been chasing after me for weeks.

Maybe that last line has you thinking, ‘but Lily, wouldn't any girl be ecstatic over arguably the hottest guy on campus pining after them?' Congratulations, you and my cousins can bond over the most uncomfortable moment in my life. It's not that I don't think he's hot - William Flynn is without a doubt the sexiest man I've ever laid my eyes on - I just don't want to risk it.

I've seen my fair share of friendships that dissolve when people in the middle are forced to choose sides, and since William Flynn is not only my best friend's roommate but also a genuinely great guy, I'm not about to lose Scorpius over what will inevitably be my speciality - failing at relationships. After 22 years, I'm not about to find a new best friend (even if this one is currently banging said concerned cousin Rose and constantly finds new ways to gross me out with that information).

So when Rose, Scorpius, and my dearly intoxicated cousin Molly, get dropped off at their house and I'm not so politely shoved into the passenger seat by the aforementioned annoying best friend, I try to pretend that the man to my left isn't built like a Greek god, with eyes that I could spend hours staring into.

But the butterflies in my stomach are not happy with the blueberry ice cream (or the tequila) that I decided to feed them, and the bumps on this road aren't helping the situation either. I groan, leaning forward to put my head between my legs. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. A sudden heat through the thin fabric of my top startles me, before William Flynn starts rubbing my back, the feeling soothing and somehow sexy at the same time. When the urge to vomit everything I've eaten in the past week finally settles, I sit back up, and William Flynn's hand goes straight back to the steering wheel.

"Rough night?" He asks, the low timber sending shivers down my spine.

I shake my head and immediately regret it, the spinning intensifying. But I don't want him touching me again, so I lean my head back against the headrest. "What gave it away?" I chuckle breathily. Another slight groan escapes me as we hit another bump.

The minivan starts to slow, and I look over at him curiously. When he finally parks on the side of the road he quickly gives me a soft smile, before leaning in towards me. The tequila dulls my reflexes, but I still jump as far back as the seat will allow me, before realizing he's reaching for the glove box. He pulls out a bottle of water and some Tylenol and hands them to me.

"Drink," he instructs before putting the car in gear and pulling back onto the street.

I do as I'm told, taking two of the pills and swallowing them quickly before placing the pill bottle in one of the cup holders between us. He's been quiet since the others left, and I take the time to study him. His hair is messy, like it always is, blonde waves that should be cut at least an inch so they don't fall into his eyes, that are a shade so blue the sea should be jealous. His profile is perfect, his jawline so sharp I want to lick it and see if it will cut my tongue. If he realizes I'm staring he doesn't point it out.

"Why are you driving?" I ask so suddenly I surprise myself. "I mean, I know _why_ you're driving - you're driving me home, but why are _you_ driving?"

He spares me a quick glance before his eyes shift back to the road. "You mean why am I sober?" My cheeks heat up but I nod when his eyes dart back to mine. "I don't drink."

The lights on the street flash through the car as we drive past, long enough to notice that his hands tense on the steering wheel. Maybe I shouldn't press, but I do. "Why not?"

"I've seen what alcohol can do to people. And I don't want it to happen to me." He looks across at me for a moment, with a look I don't quite understand. "Besides, if I was drinking who would've saved you?"

We sit in silence, lights passing us by as we continue down the road. Right turn, left turn, stop at the red light. Even in the glow of the stoplights, William Flynn is gorgeous. His broad shoulders press against his seat and my hands itch to touch them, touch him. I wonder what he'd feel like under me. His rough hands running across my skin, settling at my waist as I straddle him, mine roaming across his chest, followed quickly by my tongue.

I take another drink of water to distract myself, before turning to stare at the road again. These fantasies have to stop if he's going to be around every time I'm at Scorp's house. Even if Scorp thinks I should give William Flynn a chance, I don't think he means for me to screw his roommate on every surface in their apartment, no matter how enticing that idea is.

"My brother," his voice interrupts my thoughts. I turn to him, brow furrowed. "My brother's an alcoholic, that's why I don't drink."

"You don't - "

"He was injured something fierce senior year, never played football again. I guess it was too much and he turned to beer, then whiskey." His face is stone, impossible to read. "Cost my parents a lot to put him through rehab over and over again, but it never stuck."

The silence is palpable, but I don't dare break it. What can I say? I'm sorry? It sounds like I'm placating him. My condolences? Too formal. So I settle for, "Oh."

"And then last winter he called me, asking for help because he didn't know where he was and Mom and Dad weren't picking up the phone. But I'd been drinking, so I couldn't do anything, and when he finally got ahold of our parents and they picked him up, he was nearly frozen to death."

The car slows again as he pulls up to the curb and I realize we're already at my house. Half hidden by the shadows, William Flynn seems a lot smaller than he usually does. Neither of us moves.

He takes a deep breath before continuing. "He spent three days in the hospital and then went straight into rehab again, and thank God it finally stuck, but I swore that if he ever needed me again, I would be there."

"So no drinking."

"No drinking."

I reach over and take one of the hands that's still wrapped around the steering wheel. He seems surprised but doesn't fight me as I bring it to my lap and cover it with my other one. "You're a really good guy, William Flynn."

He breaks out into a soft smile, the edges of his eyes still tinged with sorrow. "No one calls me William anymore. It's always just Flynn."

"Well, William," I breathe slowly, before leaning forward until my lips graze his cheek, "maybe that name can be just for me."

I kiss his cheek tenderly before sitting back in my seat and opening the passenger door. Anything I brought over to Molly's will still be there the next morning, so it should be as simple as grabbing my heels and jumping out, although the alcohol may have something to say about that if I don't keep focus. I'm about halfway up my driveway when the whirring of the car window stops me and has me turning around.

"I try to be. A good guy that is," he calls out, his soft smile melting my heart. "Goodnight, Lily."

"Goodnight, William."

It doesn't escape me that his car doesn't move until my door is closed and the porch lights are turned off. And when I'm finally in bed I let my fingers roam, his name the last word I sigh before going to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello! I hoped you liked this missing moment, and I hope it gave you some insight into why Lily is so worried about giving Flynn a chance, as well as why I love William Flynn so much (and perhaps why what happens in Chapter 6 of literal chaos fire happens the way it does)...
> 
> Please let me know what you think, and special thank you to Taylor for yelling at me to write this because she loves Flynn so much, Branwen for helping with the name of this collection, and Kris for forcing my hand in writing this ASAP because I'm only slightly terrified of her :P


	2. an angel and a devil walk into a house party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have you ever been absolutely, completely, irrevocably in love with your best friend? No? That's great, because I can tell you from personal experience, it is a personal hell that even I would never wish upon my worst enemies. The irony that I'm currently wearing a devil costume really doesn't escape me... 
> 
> (Missing Moment from literal chaos fire - October 29th, 2021)

Have you ever been absolutely, completely, irrevocably in love with your best friend? No? That's great, because I can tell you from personal experience, it is a personal hell that even I would never wish upon my worst enemies. The irony that I'm currently wearing a devil costume really doesn't escape me... 

And the fact that his newest flavour of the week is wearing an angel costume really doesn't make things any better. And then, as if she can feel the hatred emanating from me, this blond deity smiles over at me.

"Hey, you're Molly, right?" Her smile is dazzling, because of course it is. Xander doesn't seem to be able to find less than perfect women to dangle in front of me, mocking me with their gorgeous eyes and soft skin and shiny hair. "Lys talks about you a lot. How do you like engineering?"

"It's good." I take a long drink of the punch in my cup, grimacing slightly at how sour it is. Fred never did share my sweet tooth. If this girl is waiting for me to elaborate, she'll be waiting a long time.

Thankfully, Xander decides to return, not a moment too soon. Although seeing him sit so near the angel on the couch doesn't help the overall feeling of awfulness. One of these days I need to own up to the fact that I like him, that I have for years. But today is not that day.

The girl shifts again, away from Xander, I notice bitterly. If that were me, I would've shifted closer. "I'm Emerson, by the way. Thanks for inviting me." She extends her hand but instead of taking it, I stare at her.

"I didn't invite you, Xander did." Avoidance is nothing if not my favourite way of handling difficult situations so I open my phone, ignoring the glare Xander sends my way. She's not my date, I don't have to be nice to her.

I send my last message - help, please - before Xander coughs loudly and sends me a pointed look. Rolling my eyes, I get up off the couch and escape to the kitchen. If he's going to bring someone like that into my house, he should realize by now I know all the escape routes.

"I'm in biomedical sciences." Emerson's voice startles me, as I hadn't realized she'd followed me out of the room. "Not as cool as engineering. But I like it!"

Nod once, nod twice, fill up my already half-full cup. "That's nice. Science. My cousin's in science."

Her brilliant smile lights up, causing my stomach to flip. She's so gorgeous, I'm really no competition. Even without the costume, she'd look like an angel with her blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. Her goddamn lips even look soft! How am I ever supposed to catch Xander's attention when someone like her exists and is willing to be with him?

"What's her name, I might have some classes with her!" She gasps, leaning against the counter.

She's not holding a cup and I don't remember Xander ever bringing her one, so I grab one of the disposable ones ("But the environment" - Roxanne) and fill it to the brim with whatever sour concoction Fred decided to call punch this evening.

She brightens again - how is that possible, is this girl made of sunlight? - when I pass it to her and again, my stomach flips. "She's a masters student. You wouldn't have class with her."

"Oh... Well she might be a TA?"

"She's not," I say, immediately regretting it when her face drops. My mom always told me that when I'm in a mood I can be so dark as to block out the sun. I guess she wasn't kidding. "What do you do in biomedical sciences?"

And with that she's off. It's honestly not that bad listen to her ramble on for the better part of three hours. She'll start going off on tangents and then when she forgets her main point I'll remind her, and she talks with her hands - A LOT! More than once she almost hits someone in the face as we walk around the house, although we end up spending most of the time in the kitchen, serving others drinks. The most annoying part of the whole situation is honestly the gross guys who come up and tell us that we're the cutest couple here. Which would be nice, if when they said it they weren't staring at her chest, further causing the jealousy monster in my stomach to rage.

And then, Flynn walks into the kitchen and I have a full on meltdown. Laughing hysterically, clutching my sides, the works. Thankfully Emerson hands him his drink and he's off, but it only takes a second for my phone to buzz on the counter beside me.

"What was that about?" Emerson asks, chuckling herself at my antics.

I wave my hand around in the air as I continue to message the chat. "My cousin Lily's dressed as a monkey and we managed to convince Flynn to -"

"To wear a man in the yellow hat costume," she finished for me. One of her perfect eyebrows cocks up and the hint of a devious smirk lights up her face. "And your cousin Lily..."

"Had no clue. She's pissed off right now, so we're going to do some shots."

"Oh, that's nice..." Emerson trails off as I make to leave.

I chance a look back and for some reason the look on her face has me reaching out and grabbing her hand. "Come with?"

And she does. At some point after the multiple shots of tequila, we end up in the pong room, and I can't deny that Emerson knows what she's doing. And coming from someone who is terrible at beer pong (or what Fred calls punch pong), that might seem a little unqualified, but even James is impressed by her ‘mad woman pong skillz.'

After our upset win against him and Fred, a game in which I managed to land two balls due to Emerson's incredible coaching skills, we're back in the kitchen. I'm sitting on the counter and she's across from me, leaning back against the counter in such a way that my eyes can't help but trail down her body. Sometimes I wonder how Xander is able to find such beautiful girls so fast, almost as though they fall down at his feet, although I suppose I wouldn't be much better.

"How long have you been seeing him?" I blurt out, my curiosity overcoming the logical part of my brain that is telling me not to talk about the best friend I'm in love with, with the person he's currently sleeping with. "Xander, I mean," clarifying as her brow furrows.

Emerson steps closer to me, her fingers playing with the hem of her dress. "Lys? I'm not dating him."

She takes another step and it feels like the walls are suddenly pressing in on me. Maybe I've had too much to drink, even if I don't remember drinking that much. I can't seem to focus on anything else but Emerson's sparkling eyes.

"I don't think that's what I asked." My throat feels too dry, so I take a sip of the cup beside me. See? It's almost full and I've refilled it only twice tonight. This can't be the alcohol, so what is it?

"Are you asking if I'm sleeping with him?" Emerson asks, taking another step so that she's right in front of me. Her hands fall to my knees and my breath hitches. "No, I'm not."

"Why not?" It's a little louder than a whisper, but with how close she is there's no doubt she heard.

She pushes my knees apart and steps into the space they were in, her face inches from mine. "I'm gay."

"Wow, that's... yeah, that'll do it. Gay. Liking women. The _ladies_." Holy fuck, can some deity please strike me down as I sit here with Emerson basically pressed against my body in a way that is making me supposedly straight brain act like she's Zac fricken Efron?!?!?!

"Molly?" She asks, her eyelashes fluttering delicately against her cheek. "Kiss me?"

And that's all it takes. I lean forward and capture her mouth with mine. Her lips are as soft as I imagined them to be, her hands gliding through my hair, softly removing the horned bandana so delicately it makes me shiver. Her tongue presses against my lips and I give in to her. My head is spinning so deliciously I never want it to stop. Her hands pull me closer as mine flutter down to her waist and do the same.

She pulls away, her chest flushed and her breath uneven. "Do you want... do you want to go upstairs?"

I answer her with a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow alright, so I realized as I was writing this that I love Emerson way too much for my own good. Am I using this chapter to live out some random fantasy I never knew I had until actually writing it? Maybe. All I know is that I now want a hot girl in an angel costume to kiss me exactly like that.
> 
> Except maybe not with the being in love with your best friend part...
> 
> Thank you to Taylor, Kris, and Branwen for being the chaotic cheerleaders that they are that got me to the point where I couldn't not write this <3


	3. raining lucky charms and jello shot cups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you've ever stored your cereal on the top of your fridge, instead of in the cupboard like a normal person, I strongly ask you to reconsider. While it might not seem like a big deal at first, you will quickly realize what a bad idea it is at two in the morning, and lucky charms are raining down on you and none other than William freaking Flynn.
> 
> (Missing Moment from literal chaos fire - October 30th, 2021)

If you've ever stored your cereal on the top of your fridge, instead of in the cupboard like a normal person, I strongly ask you to reconsider. While it might not seem like a big deal at first, you will quickly realize what a bad idea it is at two in the morning, and lucky charms are raining down on you and none other than William freaking Flynn. That and jello shot cups that your roommate promised she had properly put away, but were apparently just resting on the top of the fridge with the now overturned box of cereal.

"Shit," I whisper, brushing a few pieces off William Flynn's shoulder, his lips never leaving the pulse point on my neck that is making me feel weak in the knees. "That's going to be hell to clean up tomorrow."

His gravelly chuckle sends shivers down my spine. "We should probably clean that up..."

"Don't you dare stop."

My hands flutter to the waistband of his pants, shaking as they try to undo the buckle. William Flynn begins to kiss his way to my lips, rough and soft all at the same time and my head is spinning and I don't want it to end. As I pull his belt from his pants, his hands come down to hold mine as he presses his forehead against mine, breath heavy.

"Bedroom?"

Without another word I pull him with me and we make our way upstairs, laughing quietly as we go. As we make our way past Aren and Wendy's bedrooms I place my finger to my lips, hushing him as much as I can. When we finally reach my room, I pull him through and shut the door as quietly as I can, before I feel his lips on my neck again, his hands roaming down my sides.

My own reach up behind me to thread through his hair as he trails kisses up and down my neck, before the zipper on my costume is slowly pulled down, revealing the light pink bra and matching underwear beneath. William Flynn's hands come up again and begin to slowly tug at the costume, pulling it down so slowly I end up stripping it off myself before turning around.

The thought of being in any state of undress with William Flynn never really had him dressed as the Man with the Yellow Hat, but I can't say that he doesn't pull off the colour exceptionally well. Then again, I'm doing more of the pulling it off him, stepping forward to place my hands underneath his shirt and push up. I don't waste any time staring at him once it's off, pressing myself against him and losing myself once more to his kiss.

Without thinking I push him towards my bed until his knees catch and we fall towards it together, laughing as we go. My head is spinning as he kisses me again, but I want more. I want it all.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He asks, breaking away to look up at me, his eyes searching mine as if for any sense of unease.

I let my hands fall to his waistband, teasing a finger underneath. "Let's run through what happened tonight. I'm completely sober, I invited you inside, and _I_ kissed _you_. Then I led you to my bedroom, and tried to undress you."

"Tried?"

"Your pants are still on."

In one swift movement, he raises his hips and pulls the garishly yellow pants off before turning to me again. "Now you've undressed me. But you still haven't said yes."

My hands reach down to thread themselves in his hair and bring my face down to his. "Yes," I whisper against his lips. "This is everything I want."

This time the kiss is less insistent, we're exploring rather than searching for something. He cups my cheek, the calluses on his fingers somehow still tender against my skin.

Now it's my turn to pull away, pushing back to look at him clearly. "Is this what you want?"

"Lily," he says my name as if it's as delicate as it's namesake, "I want everything from you. But I'm okay to take things as slow and only as far as you want."

Emotions bubble at the base of my throat, threatening to spill out, so instead I settle for simple words. "Pin me down, William."

His name, the one reserved for me, seems to spur him into action. He shifts his body, pulling me with him, my legs wrapping around his waist as he does so. His hands reach up to pull mine from their resting spot in his hair, taking both wrists in one hand and bringing them above my head. His head bows down, and I feel his tongue follow the line of lace from my bra.

"Like that?" His voice is low and husky, but somehow still genuine.

I shift underneath him, my wrists straining against his grip in a way that only turns me on more. "Yes... more..."

With his other hand, William reaches behind me and undoes my bra, then pulls it up my arms. Wasting no time, his mouth dips down to take me in his mouth, his tongue causing the heat at the base of my stomach to flare up. My back arches of its own accord, my body wanting more. As he continues his ministrations, the hand not holding mine down slowly draws down my stomach, coming to a stop at the lace of my underwear. Ever so slowly, he draws a finger down the edge until his hand is splayed on my inner thigh, and I can feel the tip of his finger ever so slightly grazing where I want him most.

A whimper escapes my lips but he moves up to capture it with his own, his tongue now occupying mine. I'm so very aware of every part of him touching me, that when he moves the hand on my leg I gasp, breaking our kiss.

A finger slips inside the lace, brushing against my clit and sending the smallest shiver through me. It's barely enough contact, and I want more. My hips press upwards, garnering me the touch I want, but William pulls back.

" _Bastard_ ," I whisper, which earns me a strangled laugh in response.

"Tell me what you want," he chuckles, his mouth finding my pulse point again, seemingly his favourite way to make my head spin.

I arch my body towards him again, my heels digging into his back. "I want you to do whatever you want with me."

He lets go off my wrists, but my hands stay above my head as he begins to move down my body. His teeth nip ever so slightly at my skin, causing the pressure in my chest to build as he makes his way lower and lower. Thankfully, he makes quick work of my underwear, before placing a chaste kiss on my lower stomach area, his eyes meeting mine as I push myself up on my elbows.

The sight of William Flynn between my legs is enough to stop my heart for a moment, and then he presses his tongue against my pulsing clit. My teeth dig into my bottom lip as I struggle to keep from crying out, the languid movements sending lightning through my veins. One hand reaches down to curl through his hair again as I fall back, and I vaguely register that I let out a soft moan.

When his finger presses into me and curls to hit the sweetest spot I start to see stars. The second only adds to my pleasure, and I don't even try to stifle my cries. The pressure in my chest builds up, my heart races faster than ever, the edge getting closer and closer. My fingers in his hair pull slightly, my breath fast and heavy. And then I fall, only one word on my lips.

" _Will_..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I finally updated it! Hope y'all like it (Taylor specifically as the head of the William freaking Flynn fan club, but also everyone else <3)!
> 
> New chapter of LCF should be up soon, sorry for the delay, things IRL have been a bit hectic, hope you understand!


	4. the most romcom-y romcom moment possible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While I don’t necessarily recommend screwing things up with your almost-boyfriend/fling to the point where you get half your cousins involved in an elaborate scheme that involves a practice jersey, various sparkles and hair ribbons in your schools colours, and a speech that has been broken down and reconstructed so many times that you couldn’t possibly screw up this absolutely important moment, there is something to be said about being the main character in a romcom. Don’t tell Molly that, I’ll never live it down.
> 
> (Missing Moment from literal chaos fire - November 26th, 2021)

While I don't necessarily recommend screwing things up with your almost-boyfriend/fling to the point where you get half your cousins involved in an elaborate scheme that involves a practice jersey, various sparkles and hair ribbons in your schools colours, and a speech that has been broken down and reconstructed so many times that you couldn't possibly screw up this absolutely important moment, there is something to be said about being the main character in a romcom. Don't tell Molly that, I'll never live it down.

However, the waiting outside the locker room for Will to make his walk back to his car is making me rethink this whole thing. Everyone can see me with his number on my back, painted on my cheek with the red lipstick Vic provided, and I feel vulnerable. Lily Potter does not do vulnerable. But for right now, for this moment, I will be; for William Flynn.

Scorp is off to the side but I can feel his eyes on me. Hopefully he won't be too mad that we didn't tell him about the plan. Then again, if it ends up working maybe he'll finally be able to get over himself. Besides, this was a family matter.

The locker room door opens and my breath catches in my throat. It's not him. Then again, there are dozens of guys on the team, and he played amazing, so he's taking his time, right? My grip on the paper with the Molly-approved script tightens.

 _I'm sorry, I know I must have hurt you._ Gag.

 _I just want to make things right for you._ Cue the rolling of eyes.

I get it. It's sweet. It's everything a grand romantic gesture should be. But it's just not me. It's too sweet, too nice, too sappy. It's long and it's drawn out and everything I hate about Molly's favourite movies, but it's what I have to do. It's why I dragged my family into this, although that wasn't that hard a bargain considering it involved alcohol and watching me make a fool of myself.

The locker room door opens a second time, this time a steady stream of players comes out. None of them are him. And suddenly this whole situation feels wrong. I shouldn't be here. He doesn't want to see me. We were never meant to be anything more than a regret in my life and a heartbreak in his.

And then just as I'm about to move from this spot, walk away from it all, he's there. His hood is pulled up around his head, his eyes fixated on his phone. The phone I know has dozens of messages from me, all unanswered. I can't move, frozen in time and space as he makes his way closer and closer. I can't tell if I want him to look up and see me or walk past, not even realizing I'm here.

Maybe it's Molly, self-actualizing this moment to happen exactly as she wants it, because when Will finally looks up from his phone his gaze lands directly on me. If he's shocked he doesn't show it, his face giving me nothing. But he hesitates for a second before taking the few extra steps to stand in front of me.

"Hey," I say shakily, bringing the script up close to my chest so I can hold it with both hands.

Will nods, shoving his hands in his pockets, not letting his eyes catch mine. "Hey there."

"I... I hope it's okay that I'm here." The line is rehearsed, memorized from the script I still haven't glanced at. The only line that Molly didn't change in her editing.

Will doesn't say anything, just stares at me. I glance down at the script, but the tears welling in my eyes make them hard to read, and are they really my words anyway? Before I can think I crumple the paper up, a small gasp from behind me telling me that Molly isn't impressed, but this is my moment, as much as she wishes it was hers.

"I wanted to be here. To see you play," I continue, my voice shaking. "I screwed up, I know. I was just... so scared of hurting you, and then I ended up hurting you anyways. And then that ended up hurting me and I realized that no matter what happens, this relationship is going to ruin me, but I don't care. I want this, I want _you_." My voice breaks on the last word, and I can feel tears running down my face, mixing with the glitter Vic had been so adamant about using. "So I guess I'm here to ask if you'll forgive me. Because I really like you, Will. And I don't care if you end up ruining me. Break my heart. You can break it a thousand times if you want to. But please, don't let one of those times be right now."

He's still avoiding my gaze, his face still that impassive mask that won't let anything through. Regret washes over me. He's done with me. This was a mistake. All my earlier doubts come racing forward, overwhelming me to the point of choking back a sob.

"Will... _please_."

This time he meets my eyes, and then he's right there, right in front of me. His lips find mine and I can taste the salt from my tears, but I don't care, and seemingly neither does he. His hands are wrapped around my waist, holding me close, mine twine through his hair, knocking his hood off his head. Someone wolf whistles, probably one of his teammates, and we break apart.

He rests his forehead on mine and chuckles. "You're wearing my jersey."

"Rose stole it," I laugh breathlessly. "You almost caught her and she had to hide in your closet before James and Fred went over to distract you long enough for her to escape."

"So that's why they were there! What have I gotten myself into with you and your family?" 

"I'm not entirely sure, we're all kind of a package deal. You still up for it?"

His response comes in the form of a kiss, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there it is! The last 'real' chapter of literal chaos fire. So tell me, was it worth the wait? <3
> 
> Also Lily's line was partially inspired by Peter Kavinsky's line in P.S. I Still Love You - "Break my heart, Covey. Break my heart into a thousand pieces. Do whatever you want." and Maxon's line in Kiera Cass's The One - "Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway."


End file.
